Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Ecumenism Tonight

by Kathleen Pluth

This evening, an agreement will be signed in which the baptismal rites of several Reformed Churches and that of the Catholic Church are mutually recognized. Signatories include the Christian Reformed Church, which sponsors Calvin College, a major liturgical center in the US.

This is "costly" ecumenism rather than "easy" ecumenism. Differences are not ignored but are discussed in long-term dialogue projects with concrete goals. And this project's happy ending happens tonight.

Leaders of U.S. Roman Catholic and some Protestant churches will sign
a historic agreement Tuesday in Austin by which the two traditions will
formally recognize each other’s liturgical rites of baptism.

The
product of seven years of talks among five denominations, the agreement
will be signed at 7:15 p.m. Tuesday at a prayer service and celebration
at St. Mary Cathedral. The service will be open to the public and will
be part of the opening day activities of the national meeting of
Christian Churches Together in the U.S.A., which will continue through
Friday in Austin.

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